A woman from Boston pleaded guilty of scamming an estimated amount of $40,000 from donations after faking an injury from the Boston Marathon tragedy in 2013.
The office of Suffolk County District Attorney Dan Conley stated that Joanna Leigh, 41, confessed to five counts of larceny for more than $250 due to false pretenses, and a single count of making a false claim from a government agency.
"At every step, she lied and withheld information to generate money, services and sympathy for herself," Conley said, according to CNN. "While others were asking how they could help, she was asking how she could benefit."
Leigh was not present during the explosion and was only at the marathon's viewing party. However, two weeks after the incident, she started seeking medical help, claiming that rescuing victims from where the explosions happened injured her, as well. She claims to have suffered from brain injury, hearing and vision loss, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Leigh was sentenced by the judge with one year in the house of corrections and a suspension for three years under probation. Her other penalties include 300 hours of community service, and she was required to have her mental health evaluated, CBS Boston reported.
The 41-year-old was able to collect from several programs for the Boston Marathon bombings victims. She collected an amassed amount of $8,000 from the program of the Massachusetts Victims of Violent Crime Compensation, as well as, $9,400 from her own GoFundMe page. The One Fund, a charity for the victims of the incident, also gave her $8,000, and a local middle school raised $1,900 for her.
"This defendant exploited the compassion of people and agencies who wanted to help those in need," Conley added, according to the New York Daily News. "Every dollar she received was stolen from someone who truly deserved it."
